‘…You just choose to be ignorant’

Terry and I have typically made it a point through out our marriage to not slam each other verbally. But, every now and then when I exasperate her, the woman slips up.

The other evening we had a confrontation about the food items I eat. These days I need to exercise a more strict watch concerning foods I like to eat. There are certain elements in a lot of foods I need to avoid if I am going to continue to live with a measure of health.

Terry is death on these elements when she prepares meals for me. All she does—-according to my perspective—-is to fix grass from the yard in a variety of food guises. I fuss about what she prepares as having no flavor, or tasting like some sort of millennial, new age concoction.

However, it is a different story for me whenever she is not around. After all, a man has got to eat during the course of a day.

It all started when she happened to see in the trash the package of a chocolate-covered Ho-Ho I had eaten earlier in the day while she was a work. Sometimes she is as good as the FBI.

Jerking up the wrapper, she started in on me with a vengeance, “Do you know what is in these things?”

With the best puppy-dog countenance I could muster, I meekly replied, “I have no idea, Honey. Is it bad for me?”

Giving me the frown, she said sharply, “You know better than that! You just choose to be ignorant!”

I took that as a big-time, serious verbal slam from her. And, while I do not intend to slam people in general, the same description applies. When it comes to the things of God, many people just choose to be ignorant.

Think about it. God has carefully revealed what are His expectations. He has openly outlined spiritual concerns in the Bible. He has manifested His plan for salvation in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. In the past, He employed prophets who extended calls to get right with God. He does the same today through preachers and teachers of the Gospel.

There are a multitude of churches with programs and worship styles to accommodate so many. Religious TV and radio programs abound. There is so much spiritual truth available these days, we are, according to evangelist Vance Havner, “…like cats drowning in the cream.”

And, yet, there are people here in the USA who claim they have never heard of Jesus Christ. You talk to many about getting saved, and they claim they know no reason that should get saved. You invite them to church, and they offer a thousand excuses for not being able to attend. You ask if they are right with God, and they respond with “Why?”

These, and many other responses, are typical of those who “choose to be ignorant.” Some how and some way they may actually know better, but they choose to be ignorant.

King Agrippa once tried the ignorant card with the Apostle Paul, who responded with, “The king knows these things…I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from you…for these things (as it involved Jesus Christ) were not done in a corner.”

The same thing holds true for today. The truths and expectations of God are very evident. God is not hiding spiritual matters behind a curtain. So, people need to realize that the ignorant card cannot be played successfully with God. He is not going to let people slide by. Physical death proves that certain truth.

In the mean time, I may be ignorant, but I am sneaky smart. I bought a new box of chocolate-covered Ding Dongs three weeks ago. What I did was I opened the back side of the box, and situated it against the wall on the baker’s rack. It appears unopened. That way, I can sneak a Ding Dong snack occasionally while Terry is thinking that I am being good. I amaze myself.